Australian executive found unconscious in California street

An Australian executive was in the intensive care unit for four days before his family could track him down after he was found unconscious in a San Francisco street with severe injuries.

Grain Producers Australia chief executive Colin Bettles was in the United States on a work trip when he dropped his bags at his hotel before heading out for a pizza with colleagues on July 4.

Grain Producers Australia chief executive Colin Bettles was found with serious injuries in San Francisco.

His friends and family believe he was walking home to his hotel after dinner and was set upon, left with severe injuries to his head and a fractured eye socket, and had his wallet and phone stolen. He was left in the street, unconscious, before a passerby called for help.

Bettles, well known in Australian political and media circles as a former Fairfax journalist and media adviser to former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, was taken to hospital.

Without his phone or wallet, no one was able to identify him before he was admitted to the intensive care unit. With his partner travelling in regional Australia and without constant phone reception, it was when she noticed he hadn’t boarded a planned flight to New York that she knew something was wrong.

Colin Bettles, left, and Michael McCormack.

She got in touch with Bettles’ friend of 15 years and former employer, Nationals MP McCormack, who raised the alarm with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday. Bettles was reported missing to US authorities.

Australian officials contacted their US counterparts, who tracked him down in his hospital bed. Bettles was in intensive care for five days and is recovering, McCormack said.

“He’s an all-round good guy. No one deserves what has happened to him,” McCormack said.

Bettles’ partner, Dr Sue Acton, told the Herald she expected the road to recovery to last for months, and has plans to fly to the US to be with him. “I’m just pleased it’s not worse,” she said.

The Grain Producers Association said in a statement that Bettles experienced “an injury” while overseas. “The GPA board is supporting his family and authorities to provide assistance where possible,” the statement said.

A spokesperson for DFAT said Bettles was receiving assistance from consular officials.

Before leaving journalism to take up a position with McCormack’s office in 2018, Bettles worked for more than 10 years as a journalist covering the grains industry, rural and agricultural issues.

The San Francisco police department was contacted for comment.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.